Farida Abdel Malek 
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I've been thinking all week about what I want to write about today and it shouldn't be this hard considering it's my own personal skincare secrets or skincare routine. However, I think it's because I've talked beforer, a lot, about my skincare and what I love to do for my skin on here, that now I'm struggling to find something new to say. So, instead of finding one ultimate skincare tip or secret. I decided to compile a list of skincare tips and corrected misconceptions that have surprised me and saved me over the years.
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Keep in the mind that these might not work in the same way for you, we're all different and our skin behaves differently. Please check the disclaimer below...
1. Less is more
Yes, I tried for so long to do everything and anything I can to save my skin from acne and acne scars, but I only started to see results when I stuck to a short, consice and consistent routine.
2. Oils and moisturizing don't make my oily skin 'oilier'
It was a revelation when I read that the more I hydrated my skin the less excess oil it produced and the more balanced it became.
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3. Why am I cleansing so hard?
And vice versa...overcleansing my skin with harsh cleansers, without moisturizing afterwards, only made it oiler. You need to make up for the lost oils. The thirstier the skin is the more it feels the need to make up for the lost hydration by producing more excess oils.
4. Hydrating masks changed my life
For most of my skincare years, I've focused on using detoxifying and oil control clay masks, which don't get me wrong...they're great! But, when I discovered hydrating cream masks, I was shocked. Let me just say, your skin will feel like a baby's. Plump, softer than ever, smooth, radiant and glowy!
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5. An ice roller can turn your skin 180
I bought an ice roller after I saw a collegue at work pulling it out of the office freezer and massaging her skin with it as she typed on her laptop. And OMG...this thing can really change your life, especially is you wake up feeling like a blow fish, like me. Not only does it depuff and wake up your skin. It makes it look firm, tight and glowy. It's like a 5 minute facial and face lift. I got my mom hooked on it too.
6. What I've been doing is no where near makeup removal...
I thought If ran a cotton pad soaked in micellar water over my skin and then washed my face with a gel cleanser, that's it...my skin is good to go. However, after discovering double cleansing I realized that I've been leaving so much makeup remnants and dirt unattended. Now I use an oil cleanser, then a gel cleanser and then, when I can...because I should, I use toner or micellar water.
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7. The neck!
Yes! Our neck and decollatage...they need care too you know? Now I try as much as I can to cleanse, tone, moisturize and massage my neck as well. Always updwards! Don't drag your skin down.
8. The aloe vera sheet mask ice roller cocktail!
This is something I definitely don't take credit for, but I also don't remember where I got the idea from. I recently discovered the power of aloe vera gel for soothing my skin, after I've shaved or exfoliated, and for hydrating it as well. I apply it on my face and then top it with a compressed sheet mask (you can check it out below) and then I use my ice roller on top to massage my skin and help (or in my head at least it does) the hydration even more. The coolness and aloe vera magic makes my skin look incredible afterwards...plump, glowy, soothed and smooth.
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You can check out here some of the things I do to give my skin a glow and radiant boost:
Disclaimer: This is what works for my skin type. That's doesn't mean it's going to work for everybody. If you have any skin conditions, you must cosult your dermatologist before trying anything on your face and always do a patch test first on your arm.
